PIONEERING health technology developed in the North-East could be introduced to the NHS as part of a multi-billion pound overhaul of its IT system.

Newcastle-based i4u Ltd has received a £500,000 cash boost from regional development agency One NorthEast to market its package of web-based products to help medical professionals improve patient welfare.

Former Blaydon GP Professor Ian Purves has spent the past ten years developing the clinical support system, which can alert doctors to the medicines being taken by patients, helping to avoid inadvertently causing future health problems when prescribing new drugs.

i4u's products will also help increase medical professionals' knowledge of the ever-growing list of medicines available for prescription.

The firm is looking to sell its range of IT packages to the NHS, as well as breaking into the lucrative US, Chinese and Australian markets.

One NorthEast has awarded i4u a £500,000 Exceptional Development Grant under the DTI's Grants for Research and Development scheme, to help the company successfully develop its products for market.

i4u managing director Antony Watson said: "With the right commercial partnerships, there is a very significant potential for our products in global healthcare markets.

"We are currently working hard to secure commercial partnerships to help channel our products to the most valuable markets. One NorthEast's Exceptional Development Grant represents one third of development costs and is critical to the success of our business strategy."

The company hopes to roll out its first product line by mid-2006.